Congrats all around…

Got the chance to stop in this morning at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, where Orlando Hudson had the first visit of his “Around the Mound” tour to try and get more African-American youths to play baseball. He enlisted the services of his teammate, Juan Pierre, and Angels’ center fielder Torii Hunter, to spend time with the kids and teach them a few things about the game. O-Dog is planning on doing school visits in 10 cities around the league this year, which is an incredibly ambitious program. Props to him for his efforts.

As for the Urban Youth Academy, the facility is really something else and the work they do does not get nearly the attention it should, so congrats to the whole staff there on a great morning over there.

Meanwhile, for those who haven’t seen the latest rankings, Inside the Dodgers remains in the Top 10 on the MLBlogs network, so keep up the great work. I’m going to have to check out some of the other sites that are above us and see how they’re spreading the word!

Here’s tonight’s lineup against the Angels:

Pierre, LF

Furcal, SS

Hudson, 2B

Ethier, RF

Martin, C

Loney, 1B

Kemp, CF

Blake, 3B

Wolf, P

Torre pregame media session:

On Kuroda: He’ll go two more times and we’ll look at him all the way back on that first homestand the beginning of the month. He may pitch in Albuquerque at some point. I’m not sure.

On Schmidt: we can see the finish line, but its still going to be awhile.

On Blake: I’m comfortable with Casey hitting 8th. He knows how to hit there.He never said a word to me about where he hits. I don’t sense its an issue for him.

On Mota: Mota was much better last night. They had him swinging his leg better. He’s working at it.

On Weaver: Weaver still not available tonight. We are going to hold off on Milton’s bullpen until later in the game just in case we need him. If you see Milton throwing in the late innings it’s his bullpen, he’s not warming up.

Furcal and Martin will rest tomorrow.

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It is awesome work by Orlando, Juan and Torii in trying to get our youth involved in baseball. Most kids nowadays think everything revolves around football and basketball. and, who could blame them because the coverage is so damned lopsided. Baseball always takes a backburner. but, to me BASEBALL RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that if the score is tied and we have a runner on 2nd with no outs in the later innings that we never, ever, ever bunt with our 3 hole hitter ever again. I knew we lost when they did that last night. Besides giving up an out, you are asking your best hitter to make out on PURPOSE for two guys who have 13 rbi in 19 games in May, between them. The idea that they our the 4/5 hitters is a joke right now in itself, but then again no one else is hitting either.

Yeah man, superprops to these guys for getting out there amongst those youngsters, encouraging them to follow the great game of baseball. And those kids are pretty blessed, too, to have been visited by these stars, who are playing as if they are in the prime of their careers. Staggering statistics, phenomenal plays on the field, and running the bases. Can you tell I’m impressed by these guys?
As for the lineup I think Ethier does not deserve to be where he has been staying, in the lineup. Casey sure should be there before him. It’s like “Come on Joe, tell the kid that secret that makes him start hitting again…”
Choke up an inch or two…”Yeah right…, the kid responds.”
You know, it’s something stupid, dumb, simple.
Go Dodgers!!

I think the Dodgers need to chalk Schmidt up to another Darren Dreifort and move on. It would be nice if he could get healthy and start earning some of that salary, but it really looks doubtful he will.

Good evening, all. For those of us interested in Dodger history: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/books/review/Shapiro-t.html?_r=1&8bu&emc=bua2
Thanks, nelly, for the link to mlb contracts. For those who have visions of Roy Halliday in Dodger blue dancing in their heads, he’s signed through 2010 on a 3-year, 40 mill contract. At that price, he’s a screaming deal. If he chooses to go through FA after next year, he will clean up. If Toronto desires to move him during next year’s stretch drive, anyone who wants him will pay a king’s ransom for,more than likely, a short-term rental. Bottom line, a bad deal, IMO. If you want him (and who would’nt), sign him during FA when all you lose is a draft choice.

dodge16 ~ it’s about money and the series that will make the most money will be a Lakers/Cavs series. I have felt that way about the NBA for a long time. The mlb has it’s issues with PED, but I think there is still some major issues with money and refs in the NBA. I have felt that way since that infamous Lakers/Kings series back in the day.

It was kind of like invasion of the body snatchers, lol. Reminds me of that movie that was out years ago with Meg Ryan where her spirit switched places with this old man and finally at the end of the movie they switched back.

I did not move my gnome, but I am wearing my Andre shirt, which I haven’t been. The superstisious in me thinks maybe that is the issue. I haven’t been wearing my Ethier shirt/jersey consistently during the games.

hey josh… i’m a long time reader, unfortunately, not as frequent of a commenter here. but i do appreciate all the hard work you do, and to keep the fans ‘in the loop’ with daily updates here on top of everything else you. i do know you read these comments so i do have a favor to ask of you (since i don’t know where else to go). i used to live in LA, and frequented the games (my family still has season tickets in section 15 of the field level), but unfortunately i moved out of state two years ago. one thing i always enjoyed when going to the games was the music that the players chose as their ‘at-bat/entrance’ songs. since i moved, i don’t get to enjoy it, and its rather difficult to pick up some of the songs when listening to the games on radio or watching on tv via satellite. in the past, the list was in the fan forum section of dodgers.com, but it looks like it was removed this year. i would love to see the list back up again since the players tend to change their songs from one year to the next. (i specifically asked for songs for furcal, pierre, o-dog, kemp, loney, blake, martin, loretta, broxton and billingsley – i picked up on kershaw and ethier’s songs). i attempted to email the club through the website’s ‘help/contact’ link, but it bounced back to me twice. could you pass this info on to whomever? thanks josh!

That wouldn’t be pleasant Nelly. I’ve seen it happen many times in my softball years and I’ve seen some pretty nasty ones. A teammate of mine 2 weeks ago lined one off the pitchers knee during a game (He plays in another league that night of the week so I didn’t see it). He shattered the knee cap and he had to have surgery for it.
.
It sounds as if it isn’t a major injury for Schmidt, so that’s good. But now he’ll have the mental issue of course with the whole worrying about a come backer.

I would think they could always remove the toenail and let it grow back if worse came to worse. I dropped wagon handle on my big toe when I was 5, hurt like hell. My toenail fell out and it grew back fine. At least he doesn’t have any broken bones, so that’s great news.

I must admit, as much as we didn’t give credit to our BP during Spring Training, overall they have been doing a great job. Yes, there are still a few question marks, but what team in the league doesn’t have that same issue, especially in our division.

Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier left Saturday night’s game in the eighth inning with an injury to the big toe on his right foot suffered in a fifth inning at-bat. Ethier was hit by a John Lackey pitch and split the nail on the toe. He wound up scoring in that fifth inning on James Loney’s single. Ethier remaining in the game and lined out to left field in the seventh inning, but was replaced in right field by rookie Jamie Hoffmann in the top of the eighth. Ethier, who has struggled in recent weeks, doubled in his first at-bat and scored a run, then singled in his second at-bat. — Ken Gurnick

Posted on May 24, 2009 at 12:32 AMPermalinkComments (1)
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Wow that was Pierre 1st career rbi’s in 97 ab’s against the Angels in his career but dang don’t like his stats lines 175/.223/.216/.440. It’s look like the Angels have his numbers. Should that numbers be little bit more accounting Broxton saves with other pitchers getting a win?

Damn I hate to see Furcal obp at .301 and I remember last year when we was all on Pierre case. Bills have an obp at .348 in 20 AB’s and when pitchers have a big obp as high as that than you have a big problem.

TWO THIN JUANS
.
Sooooome people say all Juan has got hims a glove,
The other Juan’s speedy but he kain’t get no love,
Glove and no love, their power blows,
A man in the dugout that says they’re pros.
.
You have two thin Juans and what do ya get?
A walk to load the bases and another walk wins.
Coletti don’t ya trade em or let them go.
We ain’t got much in the minor league store.
.
Laaaaaast year we’da put them where the sun doesn’t shine,
One had no bat and the other one whined,
We ain’t got much, but now 9s on a roll,
And all Joe says is, “Well bless his soul.”
.
You have two thin Juans and what do ya get?
A walk to load the bases and another walk wins.
Coletti don’t ya trade em or let them go.
We ain’t got much in the minor league store.
.
Weeeeee hope there-a battin’ don’t fizzle a-gain,
O B P and sluggin’ ain’t their middle names,
But when they get themselves on base they both make us go,
And they owe there fat ol’ contracts to the Neddy below-a.
.
You have two thin Juans and what do ya get?
A walk to load the bases and another walk wins.
Coletti don’t ya trade em or let them go.
We ain’t got much in the minor league store.
.
Iiiiiiif you see Juans a comin’, better look real fine,
When Manny gits back they’re both on the pine.
But for now their at bats they’re git their fill,
If Juan don’t git ya,
Then the other Juan will.
.
You have two thin Juans and what do ya get?
A walk to load the bases and another walk wins.
Coletti don’t ya trade em or let them goooooo.
We aaaaain’t gooooot muu-uuu-uuch in the minor league store.

NellyJune ~ That can’t be the “real” Enchanted! If it is, somebody took him away and brainwashed him!! Oh, please, bring back the Enchanted we all remember so fondly.
.
By the way, whoever you are, great song!!!

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